Gender And Communication

6 Pages 1518 Words

The different ways men and women communicate has been a problem throughout time. This difference in communication style has created conflict in romantic relationships, marriages, and even friendships. To think of a world where men and women communicate on the same level is almost impossible to comprehend. We have been conditioned to believe that the genders will never see on an eye-to-eye basis and have accepted this. But, is it to hard to expect that the genders speak on the same level? From my findings in research, I think there is going to be a change in the way communication in relationships is conducted. This change may even arise in my own lifetime. Studies have shown that women are superior to men in verbal ability and men are better at visual/spatial ability. Unfortunately in most of these tests, this was only noted as slight difference and not always the case. It was only true on the average and didn’t account for those who scored substantially above or below their gender group’s level. These conclusions may also be based on cultural expectations and learned behaviors (Rathus 383). Psychological studies also revealed that men are more likely to show aggression in an open environment. Women tend to avoid confrontation until they are fully aware of all circumstances and consequences. Males tend to brag about their accomplishments in a confrontational situation, whereas women may show compassion for their victim (Rathus 383). Again these may be learned behaviors, or perhaps the levels of aggression causing chemicals running through a person’s body. Communication is linked with behavior and beliefs. The way people perceive themselves and the world around them affect the way they communicate. It was once believed that males were more intelligent than females because of their greater knowledge of world affairs and their skill in science and industry. We now recognize that greater male knowledge and skill reflected not differenc...